


Follow the Glow, into the Woods We Go

by asolii



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Action/Adventure, Akko is a klutz, Arcturus is scary as ever, Diana is afraid of the dark, F/F, Fluff and Humor, what can possibly go wrong
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-16 01:35:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17540192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asolii/pseuds/asolii
Summary: Diana has planned to visit the Arcturus forest for a simple task. Sneak out. Travel through leyline. Retrieve herbs. Come back.But with Akko tagging along, much to her reluctance, and the dark seemingly not as friendly as she remembers, there's only trouble waiting for her at the end of the woods.(aka Diana questions herself if she's grateful or completely done with Akko every second they're together.)





	Follow the Glow, into the Woods We Go

**Author's Note:**

> Two stubborn gay witches in a forest that's rumoured to have the most dangerous creatures and plants... A disaster waiting to happen.

 

The night is as young as Diana has calculated it to be, the moon barely peeking through fresh clouds. After rereading her scribbled notes for the umpteenth time, she carefully files them away and puts on her cloak. Diana takes a deep breath before she slips through the door, careful not to let any sound slip and wake Hannah and Barbara. The only sound heard being the soft shuffles of carpet, she glides through the corridor with muted grace.

Diana’s turned the corner and she’s so focused on her path she doesn’t feel the curious presence lurking behind her.

“Diana?”

Her entire body jolts in surprise but her lips are pursed tight to prevent any sound. She turns around slowly, her skin prickling in anticipation of being scolded by a teacher, but she is met with no one other than Atsuko Kagari, clad in her t shirt and pyjama shorts and… a glazed donut in hand? As if sensing Diana’s suspicious gaze drift down to the sweet, Akko shoves her hands behind her back.

Before Diana can comment on her _very subtle_ behaviour, Akko’s the first to ask with a weak smile, “What are you doing here?”

“I can ask you the same,” Diana shoots back swiftly, an eyebrow arching up as Akko winces. “Stealing snacks again in the kitchen, I see?”

Akko sighs, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck as she brings up her other hand with the half-bitten donut back in front of her, “I guess you got me.”

“You should go back to your dorm before a teacher finds you, Akko,” Diana chides her, not unkindly, as Akko takes a shameless bite out of the sugary treat.

“Wh’bout you?” Akko says around the mouthful of donut she’s chewing.

“I am running a small errand for Professor Finnelan,” Diana states simply, her voice level. “While I have a teacher’s permission, I believe you should not be outside your dorm wandering down halls this late.”

Rather to her dismay, Akko seems to have only absorbed the first half of her message and perks up. She swallows her donut and asks, “An errand at this time of night?”

“Yes.”

“Really?” There’s a hint of coy in the question and it’s only accentuated by the twist of a smile Akko suppresses, making Diana frown. What is this girl getting at?

“I must be really on my way now.”

Akko hums thoughtfully, tapping her chin before Diana can make her move, “But I’m pretty sure Professor Ursula told me she was going with Professor Finnelan to Glastonbury tonight? Funny how she could’ve delivered a message to you about an _errand_.”

Diana’s eyebrow twitches in the slightest and she gapes for a second too long. She has not in the slightest, expected her lie to be debunked so easily – by _Kagari_ , of all people.

She mumbles out an half-hearted excuse quickly, glad the corridors are dark enough to conceal the blush rising from her in embarrassment, “Perhaps I was mistaken, it must have been Professor Lukić who – “

“Diana, I know you’re not running an errand. You’re wearing your cloak and wand, I’m not _that_ stupid.” Akko’s voice has a lilt of smugness at catching her, and all Diana wants to do is hex this infuriating, nosy, girl and be on her way. She considers it for a second, and its possible consequences. “So, what are you doing?”

“It is none of your business,” Diana hisses, her composure crumpled and abandoned in favour for her bubbling annoyance, storming past the brunette.

“Wait, let me come with you!”

 _“Pardon?”_ Diana whips around, the incredulity in her voice louder than she intends to ring. She freezes, eyes darting around the corridor to see if she has stirred anyone awake, before whispering in hushed frustration, “This is not a pleasant _picnic_ I am planning, Akko, it is a matter to me that I must deal with seriously.”

“I’ll be serious, I swear,” Akko shoots her a mock solute, but then pouts at Diana’s unimpressed scowl, “Hey, c’mon, please?”

“Most certainly not.”

Diana watches Akko hesitate, and just when she thinks she’s finally gotten rid of the brunette, Akko’s eyes gleam in a way Diana doesn’t find pleasant. She especially doesn’t like the way Akko raises her arms to cross it over her chest, and she braces herself before Akko blurts out: “What will the teachers say when they hear about Diana Cavendish leaving campus without permission?”

Diana’s eyes are careful in studying Akko, narrowing. “… Is that a threat?”

“If you interpret is as so, maybe,” Akko huffs, scrunching her nose in an act of intimidation, but there is no conviction to her voice and a part of Diana knows deep down Akko isn’t the one to actually snitch on others, rivals or not.

However, her time is running out as she speaks, so Diana gives her the benefit of doubt and sighs, “You’re absolutely unbelievable. And this is coming from a regular nightly donut thief.”

“It was only a one time thing – “

“Akko, I’ve seen you enough times during my night patrols,” Diana says flatly.

“Okay, you really turned the tables on this one. But please, come on Diana, you know I can be of some help! At least moral support?”

Diana doesn’t wait for Akko as she stalks past finally, muttering, “Do as you wish.” She tries not to notice how Akko’s face lights up instantly.

 

* * *

 

“Where are we going?” Diana doesn’t answer her – she _can’t_ , rather – with Akko’s breath hot against her ear and body pressed against her back. Not to mention the arms that squeeze around her middle as they ride the broom through the bright green pulsating void of the leyline.

(Diana wonders if she was ever distracted when Hannah or Barbara was the passenger. She solemnly convinces herself the reason she is now isn’t because the passenger happens to be _Akko_.)

Instead of a reply, the blonde just grips her broom tighter and leans forward, whizzing past in mounting acceleration. Akko yelps and has no choice but to hold onto Diana for dear life, too fearful to open her mouth again.

 

* * *

 

Then they arrive. Diana notes the forest, even though revitalized by the Grand Triskellion, still has an eerie atmosphere at this time of the night where shadows hang on every branch and the moonlight barely shines through the shroud of mist and cloud.

“Is this the Arcturus forest?” Akko looks around with interest, picking at a low branch filled with actual leaves, “I forgot that it isn’t as bad as a gloomy dread it used to be before.”

“Thanks to you and your Shiny Rod, it isn’t,” Diana doesn’t miss the way Akko looks away, bashful, and she can’t help but smile fondly. “And it has also helped grow many new vegetation in result of the flourish, which is why I have travelled here.”

She explains patiently to the brunette who has her head cocked in confusion. “I have been researching about a special medicinal herb my mother has been recording in her books. While it has been spotted very rarely, I think I may have possibly come to the conclusion that there may be actually an _abundance_ in this very forest after what had happened.”

Diana can’t help but smile as announces with a hint of pride, “The magical world may be able to produce significant magic potions that has long been out of the market if we do come across it tonight.”

Akko blinks owlishly in response, and Diana is about to sigh and move on but then the brunette gasps, finally registering her long-winded words. “That’s amazing news, Diana! Is that why you didn’t come to dinner for the past week? To research about all this?”

There’s a beat of silence before Diana clears her throat. “You…” Diana lifts an eyebrow at Akko with uncertainty on how to react accordingly. “You noticed I wasn’t there the whole week?”

Diana watches the brunette freeze, pink dusting her cheeks and eyes flitting anywhere but her, as she laughs nervously, “I-I mean, hard to miss with how loud Amanda and Barbara were whining about you!”

She doesn’t remember Amanda and Barbara being particularly upset about her absence. “Were they?”

“Yup! Now well, let’s get searching then.” Akko interjects quickly, flicking her wand but Diana puts a hand over hers to stop the action immediately, shaking her head.

“Light is not necessary.” Diana busies herself by examining the ground by inches, meticulously turning over every rock. “The creature’s footprints we must find glows in the dark very faintly, you will know it when you see it.”

Akko pushes back her wand on her satchel and nods, squatting down next to Diana and join her search. They both are on their knees or squatting as they start to overturn every pebble and brush away stray leaves from the forest floor.

It’s not after even a mere ten minutes in when Diana can hear the brunette mumble just a few feet from her right, “There surely must be an easier way than this, Diana. It’s so dark don’t even know what I’m touching by this point.”

“You asked to help, and you are doing just fine,” Diana shushes her.

However, they do struggle in vain for a quiet half an hour, Akko blowing out frustrated sighs and grass rustling the only sound between them. Diana tries to suppress the hopelessness aching her chest, mentally going over the notes she’s spent hours studying to jog her memory of any kind of new clue but –

Her thoughts are cut off by a shriek slicing the silence, along with crunching branches and vegetation, muffled in the distance.

 _“Akko!”_ Diana whips around and blindly heads towards the source of sound, and it’s only when she stands up is when she realizes how dark the forest has gotten. The air thick with fog, she can barely see where she is stepping towards. Diana’s breaths quicken in panic as she looks around, palming bare trees and scrabbling back hanging branches in her way. “Akko? Where are you?”

A small groan comes not too far ahead from her, surprisingly from underneath. Diana stills, blinking as her eyes adjust to the darkness, and sees the gaping hole near the protruding roots of the tree, encircled by broken twigs and pile of leaves. “Over here,” Akko’s weak voice crawls up.

Diana peers in to see the brunette below rubbing her back with a wince, coated with dirt and stray branches sticking from her hair. Diana doesn’t hesitate to slide down the hole, her shoes grinding the steep decline roughly as she comes to an unsteady stop next to Akko.

“By the nines, Akko – “ Diana takes a shaky breath when she gets closer to see Akko’s legs littered with vicious scratches she couldn’t see from above. Troubled, she kneels down, one hand dusting off Akko and one hand clicking her wand into full length. “How badly are you hurt? Did you break anything? We should go back to Luna Nova – “

Her frantic suggestions are cut off by an excited exclaim, “Look, Diana!”

She follows Akko’s pointed finger on the ground and narrows her eyes. There is only a rough patch of moss along the pitch-black tunnel ahead, and Diana’s about to ask her what she is supposed to see when she finally catches it. The dim, pulsating light of tiny pawprints littered on the floor, the glow faint and muted against the lichen that she couldn’t pinpoint before.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Diana’s surprised to see the sparkle in Akko’s triumphant smile, like her plummet to the ground minutes ago never happened.

“I-I suppose so,” Her heart does leap at the sight but then tightens again when she rips her gaze away to look back at Akko’s dishevelled state. “I don’t think it is wise to venture further however.” Her voice is calm but there’s a resolute edge to it.

“No way,” Akko huffs and before Diana can figure out what she’s trying to do and advice against it, Akko bends her knees as her hand nearest to the wall scrabble for purchase on anything for balance. Then she shakily rises, but crumbles halfway, wincing.

Diana’s already there to catch her arms to cushion her fall. _“Akko.”_

“Okay maybe my ankle isn’t the best.”

As if realizing what her words might imply, Akko shakes her head vigorously with a frown at Diana, “Which definitely should _not_ stop you from getting those damn herbs.”

She’s met with a sceptical scowl of Diana’s own, which she pouts at, “Diana, we finally found it we can’t just leave now.”

Diana mulls over her words with her lips pursed. Her eyes dart from the tunnel to Akko’s hopeful eyes, her fingers clenching and unclenching her wand.

Akko whimpers, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden lack of response. “Please?”

Finally, Diana lets out a long stream of air through her nose and closes her eyes, her hands conjoined on the wand. She can feel Akko’s curious gaze on her, followed by a soft gasp. A sharp glow of green balloons from the tip of Diana’s wand and extends its tendrils of light to wrap around Akko’s ankle, then along her legs like serpents. She sees the brunette visibly flinch, but then relax when the light retracts slowly, replacing her muddied, bruised cuts back with seamless skin. As soon as her hands go limp by her side, Diana feels the expected consequences, a wave of nausea and dull throb of a migraine slowly pulling through.

“When did you learn this?” Akko whispers in awe, rolling her ankle joint experimentally. Then Akko notices the way Diana’s breaths are shallower, her skin paler. The brunette’s brows scrunch in concern as she opens her mouth to chide her, Diana assumes, but she intercepts before Akko has a chance.

“It has just been a while I have performed healing spells.” Diana dismisses her, as she dusts herself to stand. “Shall we go now, since you are too stubborn to give up?” She lets her lips tug into a small smile, her hand out for Akko.

Akko’s mouth close, but she looks at Diana with a frustrated frown, her lips twitching with unspoken reprimands. It isn’t a big secret that the healing spell caster has to sacrifice their own energy to transfer it to the receiver, and by that look Akko gives, Diana knows she knows. But Diana’s face remains the usual unfazed nonchalance so Akko sighs and takes her hand. She rises and remains on her feet without any problem.

“Thank you.” Akko squeezes her hand, and Diana tries to ignore the closeness of Akko and the gleam of her soft eyes and how her own heart jumps to her throat at it.

“You would have done the same.” Diana says simply, and they continue their way onwards.

 

* * *

 

“Uh, Diana?”

“Yes, Akko?”

“You’re holding my hand pretty tightly.”

As if she’s been electrocuted by the touch, Diana retracts her hand sharply. She hasn’t noticed she’s still been clenching Akko’s hand since the opening of the tunnel, well into the depth of darkness.

Diana clears her throat, thanking the nine witches silently the cavern was too dark, save for some faint glow at their feet, for Akko to see the furious red heating her face. “My apologies, I-I didn’t realize I was still holding your hand.”

“No no, I mean,” Diana can barely make out the way Akko looks away nervously, rubbing her neck, “I didn’t mind you were holding my hand. It’s just that you seemed really tense.

It’s true, Diana hasn’t been able to relax since entering, a stray drip of water in the hollow distance making her shoulders tense, the slightest of shuffling by her side making her unconsciously grip onto Akko’s hand tighter. And as if reading through Diana’s embarrassment and hesitance to respond, Akko piques with a lilt in her voice.

“Are you afraid of the dark?”

Diana swallows back a sharp remark and instead looks away wordlessly.

“Diana Cavendish, world-class witch, afraid of the _dark?_ ” Akko teases, small giggles echoing through the cave. “Who would have thought?”

Then Diana feels the same fingers lace through hers with a light squeeze. She peers up cautiously to see Akko smiling, a hint of tease still twinkling her eyes but there’s reassurance in the comforting gaze she gives Diana. “You could’ve just said.”

“It’s not the proudest of traits,” Diana mutters quietly but she does feel safer with the small touch on her palms. She can’t help but shiver as Akko’s thumb traces rubs circles idly against the back of her hand.

“And you were planning to go out here at night? _Alone?”_

“It is an inconvenience that it had to be at this time of the day, but yes, it would not have deterred me.”

“Yet you call me the stubborn one between us two.”

Diana gives a noncommittal hum.

“Aren’t you glad I’m here, knight in shining armour to save you from the dark?” There’s an unmistakable smirk in her voice Diana doesn’t need to turn around to see.

“Do not flatter yourself, Atsuko.” Diana huffs but her lips can’t help but form a smile at the laughter elicited from the brunette.

Their laughter dies instantly when a sharp bark echoes from the darkness ahead of them. Akin to a vicious dog’s, it rips the air three times consecutively, then there’s a thundering of paws against gravel.

“Uh D-Diana I don’t think they’re too happy – “

The blonde clamps a hand over Akko’s mouth and shoves them both to the closest crevice of the cavern they can squeeze into. Just barely visible in the dark, she can see the panic and confusion colouring Akko’s wide red eyes above her palm but Diana merely puts a finger to her lips wordlessly. Akko is completely immobilized under Diana’s pressing body against the cold stone wall she can do nothing but gulp.

Then the onslaught of scuttering comes closer and rounds the corner to reveal the three creatures. With a long, limber body and tiny, glowing paws adorning claws as long as knives, she can identify the animals in her book she’s so thoroughly researched. _Sickle weasels_. Diana holds her breath as one comes by dangerously close, sniffing the air. Also known as –

“Kamaitachi?”Akko’s voice is barely a rasped breath behind Diana’s hand but the three weasels still from where they are, and start scurrying in circles, their growls growing as claws unsheathe against dirt. Diana shoots Akko with a stare so intense she hopes it delivers her begging her message to _shut up._

Akko’s eyes as wide as dinner plates and sickly pale face is enough to let Diana know she gets it.

If Akko knew their names, she should know that these weasels, despite its agility and heightened senses, are known for having poor vision. Thus why the two girls are squished together in the crack barely wide enough, breaths held and throats locked.

One of the weasel lets out a sequence of barks and the other two whip their heads towards the vocal one accordingly, and lets out rumbling growls of what seems like approval. Then they start sniffing in a circle from the middle of the cavern. Then their path of circumference widens, and Diana can feel Akko stiffen as one pass them too close for their comfort again, its tail swishing inches away from where they hide. It was only a matter of time one of the weasels smelled them out. Panic seizes her rational thought, and Diana’s hand is blindly grasping for her wand when she feels Akko squeeze her wrist as a warning.

Fear is still etched around the irises but there’s a new shine of determination in the stare Akko shoots her before she crouches down, slowly, and picks up the smallest of pebble.

Then she raises her fingers. Three.

Diana’s eyes flickers between the pebble and the weasels. She knows what Akko plans to do, and she can’t think of a more stupid or better solution than this.

Two.

Diana watches as Akko rears her hand back and –

One.

The pebble sails to the other side, bouncing off a stone and clattering pitifully on the floor. The weasels’ snouts rise in unison, and there’s a millisecond of complete dead silence, until the leader lets out a shrill screech and scampers towards the sound, its two followers right behind.

Diana and Akko wait patiently with bated breaths, and when the weasels almost reach the innocent pebble on the other side of the cavern, their eyes meet to scream the unspoken command at each other.

_Run._

**Author's Note:**

> Kamaitachi is actually a real Japanese urban legend of three carnivorous weasels- but I have made up a lot of other features myself.
> 
> I also have recently started up a Tumblr by the same name, Asolii!
> 
> I draw when I don't have the time write, so feel free to check out my page and don't hesitate to send me a quick hello from ao3! :) (also I'll consider writing for short prompts submitted there)


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